Site Visit #1

For this week’s blog I ventured out to photograph a commercial building under construction. I came across Pakington Central, located on the corner of Pakington Street and Gordon Avenue, West Geelong. It is a double storey construction consisting of 10 boutique shops on the lower level and 700 sq metres of floor space on the upper level which has been divided into four different office spaces. Tilt up concrete panels were used as part of the construction. It was designed by local architect Peter O’Riely, whose practise is located in La Trobe Terrace, and the construction has been undertaken by Lyons Construction. The complex is due to be completed by the 1st June 2007. According to Simon from Knight Frank restate, the project may run slightly overtime, but is mostly on track for the completion date.

This image shows the external clading of the building, the universal beam supporting the first floor slab and the combined use of structual steel and timber stud walls.

In the above photo you can see the use of z-purlins supporting the roofing, consiting of safety mesh, insulation and the external cladding.

The photo below shows the first floor slab connected to a tilt up panel by a welded 90 degree bracket, reinforcement jutting out of the concrete and the services which will be hidden by the timber framed ceiling.